Detecting decay

One of the best ways for us to detect decay is by seeing you regularly for dental health assessments and oral hygiene appointments. This allows us to spot any issues early before they have a chance to worsen and cause you pain. We do this by looking directly at the teeth and using advanced technology, such as intraoral cameras that allow us – and you – to see your mouth in precise detail. The dentists and hygienists at Crescent Lodge Dental Practice SW4 use this excellent piece of equipment for the early detection of decay and as an educational tool for highlighting any areas that you might be missing when brushing at home.

“Very good service and friendly staff from receptionist to the dentist all lovely people.”

Additionally, we provide vital dietary and oral hygiene advice and offer children fissure sealants and fluoride varnishes. Another method we use to detect dental decay is through a dental x-ray. This is a quick and pain-free procedure that provides a high resolution, cross-section image of your tooth, which will highlight any areas where your tooth structure is damaged due to a build-up of bacteria – an early warning sign of dental decay. In order to make yours and your family’s dental and hygiene appointments more affordable, we offer a dental health plan that allows you to spread the cost into manageable monthly payments.

Preventing tooth decay

Although tooth decay is a common problem, it is often entirely preventable. The best way to avoid tooth decay is to keep your teeth and gums as healthy as possible.

To do this, you should:

brush your teeth with a fluoride toothpaste twice a day for two-3 minutes each time

use floss or an interdental toothbrush at least once a day to clean between your teeth and under the gum line

avoid rinsing your mouth with water or mouthwash right after brushing – this washes the protective fluoride away; instead, just spit out any excess toothpaste

cut down on sugary and starchy food and drinks, particularly between meals or within the hour before going to bed

For more information about decay detection in London or to book a consultation with our dental experts, please contact us today! Call us on 020 7622 5333, email reception@dentistsw4.com or complete our contact form.

Frequently Asked Questions

Dental decay has many symptoms but these often go unnoticed when the sufferer doesn’t experience any pain. Some obvious signs to look out for are: continuous toothache or a sudden sharp pain without an obvious cause; sensitivity when eating or drinking something hot, cold, or sweet; grey, brown or black spots on your teeth; bad breath, or an unpleasant taste in your mouth.

This will depend on at what stage the decay has been detected. If early on, reducing sugary foods and drinks and brushing regularly using a fluoride tooth paste may prevent the decay from developing.

If decay has been spotted later on and you have a hole in your tooth, further treatment may be required, such as a filling, crown; root canal treatment, or the removal of the tooth. The gap can then be either restored with a bridge, denture or implant.

The primary causes are sugary, sticky foods and drinks. Sugar combines with the plaque on your teeth and weakens its enamel, leaving you vulnerable to tooth decay. Decay is also enabled by a lack of proper dental care – i.e. brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing once a day.

Not at all. Our cameras and x-ray machines are non-invasive, meaning you will experience no pain.